TOEFL Mini-test (Skills 6-8)

1. The prisoners were prevented from speaking to reporters because _________.

Not wanting the story in the papers

The story in the papers the superintendent did not want

The public to hear the story

The superintendent did not want the story in the papers

The first sentence is complete and there is a connector. We need the second idea which gives the reason.

1. It is not (A) because there is no subject and the verb form is missing the BE.
2. It is not (B) because the the phrase are not in the correct order.
3. It is not (C) because there is no verb.
4. It is (D).

Explanation

The first sentence is complete and there is a connector. We need the second idea which gives the reason.

1. It is not (A) because there is no subject and the verb form is missing the BE.
2. It is not (B) because the the phrase are not in the correct order.
3. It is not (C) because there is no verb.
4. It is (D).

2. _________ or refinanced, the lender will generally require setting up an escrow account to ensure the payment of property taxes and homeowner´s insurance.

A home is

A home is bought

When a home

When a home is bought

There is a blank at the beginning of the sentence and a middle comma. This means there is a connector missing. Also, after the blank there is an "or" connector, meaning there must be a previous choice (noun) within the blank.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a connector to balance with the middle comma.
2. It is not (B) because it does not have a connector to balance with the middle comma.
3. It is not (C) because it does not have a verb nor additional noun which joins before the "or" connector.
4. It is (D).

Explanation

There is a blank at the beginning of the sentence and a middle comma. This means there is a connector missing. Also, after the blank there is an "or" connector, meaning there must be a previous choice (noun) within the blank.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a connector to balance with the middle comma.
2. It is not (B) because it does not have a connector to balance with the middle comma.
3. It is not (C) because it does not have a verb nor additional noun which joins before the "or" connector.
4. It is (D).

3. _________ show the relation among neurons, they do not preclude the possibility that other aspects are important.

Neural theories

A neural theory

Although neural theories

However neural theories

The phrase "Although neural theories" suggests that there are multiple theories related to neurons, and it implies that these theories do not exclude the possibility of other important aspects. This answer acknowledges the existence of neural theories while also emphasizing that they do not provide a complete explanation and that other factors may be significant as well.

Explanation

The phrase "Although neural theories" suggests that there are multiple theories related to neurons, and it implies that these theories do not exclude the possibility of other important aspects. This answer acknowledges the existence of neural theories while also emphasizing that they do not provide a complete explanation and that other factors may be significant as well.

4. Like Thomas Berger´s fictional character Little Big Man, Lauderdale managed to find himself where _________ of important events took place.

It was an extraordinary number

There was an extraordinary number

An extraordinary number

An extraordinary number existed

The sentence begins at the subject "Lauderdale", after the comma, and has all of the sentence elements. After the connector "where" and the blank, there is a sentence verb and object. This means the sentence possibly needs a subject.

1. It is not (A) because it has a verb.
2. It is not (B) because it has a verb.
3. It is not (D) because it has a verb
4. It is letter (C).

Explanation

The sentence begins at the subject "Lauderdale", after the comma, and has all of the sentence elements. After the connector "where" and the blank, there is a sentence verb and object. This means the sentence possibly needs a subject.

1. It is not (A) because it has a verb.
2. It is not (B) because it has a verb.
3. It is not (D) because it has a verb
4. It is letter (C).

5. If ultraviolet radiation enters the Earth´s atmosphere, _________ generally blocked by the ozone concentrated in the atmosphere.

It

It is

So it is

Then it

The sentence is a condition with a middle comma. The blank is after the comma and is followed by an adverb and sentence verb in past. The verb in the condition is in present which means that the verb in the second part needs an auxiliary of some kind to justify its past form. This means the subject and auxiliary is missing.

1. It is not (A) because it is only a subject reference.
2. It is not (C) because it has a connector.
3. It is not (D) because it has a connector.
4. It is (B).

Explanation

The sentence is a condition with a middle comma. The blank is after the comma and is followed by an adverb and sentence verb in past. The verb in the condition is in present which means that the verb in the second part needs an auxiliary of some kind to justify its past form. This means the subject and auxiliary is missing.

1. It is not (A) because it is only a subject reference.
2. It is not (C) because it has a connector.
3. It is not (D) because it has a connector.
4. It is (B).

6. _________ sucked groundwater from below, some parts of the city have begun to sink as much as ten inches annually.

Pumps have

As pumps have

So pumps have

With pumps

The sentence starts with a blank and has a comma in the middle. The sentence after the comma is complete and the one before the comma only has a verb. This means the subject is missing and also a connector to balance out with the middle comma.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a connector.
2. It is not (C) because "so" is not an adequate connector to begin a sentence with.
3. It is not (D) because it is a preposition phrase
4. It is (D).

Explanation

The sentence starts with a blank and has a comma in the middle. The sentence after the comma is complete and the one before the comma only has a verb. This means the subject is missing and also a connector to balance out with the middle comma.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a connector.
2. It is not (C) because "so" is not an adequate connector to begin a sentence with.
3. It is not (D) because it is a preposition phrase
4. It is (D).

7. Case studies are the target of much skepticism in the scientific community, _________ used extensively by numerous researchers.

They are

Are

Yet they

Yet they are

There is a complete sentence before the comma while after there is only a verb and a complimentary phrase. This means the sentence is missing a connector and subject.

1. It is not (A) because there is no connector.
2. It is not (B) because it is only a single verb.
3. It is not (C) because it is missing the BE verb to complete the passive.
4. It is (D).

Explanation

There is a complete sentence before the comma while after there is only a verb and a complimentary phrase. This means the sentence is missing a connector and subject.

1. It is not (A) because there is no connector.
2. It is not (B) because it is only a single verb.
3. It is not (C) because it is missing the BE verb to complete the passive.
4. It is (D).

8. The president of the United States appoints the cabinet members, _________ appointments are subject to Senate approval.

Their

With their

Because their

But their

There is a full sentence (subject+verb) before the comma. After the comma there is subject, verb and complimentary phrase. This means a connector is missing. 1. It is not (A) because it is only a possessive. 2. It is not (B) because "with" is not a sentence connector. 3. It is not (C) because the second sentence is not a reason to the first. 4. It is (D).

Explanation

There is a full sentence (subject+verb) before the comma. After the comma there is subject, verb and complimentary phrase. This means a connector is missing. 1. It is not (A) because it is only a possessive. 2. It is not (B) because "with" is not a sentence connector. 3. It is not (C) because the second sentence is not a reason to the first. 4. It is (D).

9. According to the hypothesis in the study, the monarchs pick up the magnetic field of the _________ migrate by following magnetic fields.

Target monarchs

Target since monarchs

Target since monarchs are

Target

The actual sentence begins at "the monarchs" and there is immediately a main verb. Before the blank there is the article "the", meaning a noun is needed. Also, next to the blank there is another potential verb. This means that the sentence possibly needs a connector and subject.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a connector.
2. It is not (C) because the "are" does not match the sentence verb "migrate"
3. It is not (D) because it is only a noun
4. It is (B).

Explanation

The actual sentence begins at "the monarchs" and there is immediately a main verb. Before the blank there is the article "the", meaning a noun is needed. Also, next to the blank there is another potential verb. This means that the sentence possibly needs a connector and subject.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a connector.
2. It is not (C) because the "are" does not match the sentence verb "migrate"
3. It is not (D) because it is only a noun
4. It is (B).

10. Among human chromosomes, the Y chromosome is unusual _________ most of the chromosome does not participate in meiotic recombination.

In

So

And

In that

The complete idea is a two sentence part. The first and second part are complete. This means a connector is missing in the blank. Also, it is important to note that the idea is explaining a cause or reason with the second sentence.

1. It is not (A) because it is not a connector.
2. It is not (B) because it is a connector for consequence; not reason.
3. It is not (C) because it is a connector for addition; not reason.
4. It is (D).

Explanation

The complete idea is a two sentence part. The first and second part are complete. This means a connector is missing in the blank. Also, it is important to note that the idea is explaining a cause or reason with the second sentence.

1. It is not (A) because it is not a connector.
2. It is not (B) because it is a connector for consequence; not reason.
3. It is not (C) because it is a connector for addition; not reason.
4. It is (D).